Hospital
by Maat's Feather
Summary: Set after the Black Crown fire.  Ryuuji struggles with how to rebuild his life until he realizes he might just have more to work with than he thought.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

_Set after the Black Crown fire. Ryuuji struggles with how to rebuild his life until he realizes he might just have more to work with than he thought._

* * *

Part One

Ryuuji hated hospitals. He didn't much care for the sterile white hallways and the harsh fluorescent lighting; both gave off an impersonal vibe. Then there was the smell, the unmistakable, acrid scent of antiseptic that assaulted his nose and seemed to permeate everything. Trumping all was the fact people rarely come to hospitals for happy reasons. That, in his opinion, was what made those institutions uncomfortable to the point he'd rather run like hell than spend much time in one if given the opportunity. After all, hospital visits are about dealing with cold hard facts, and when you are in one, it is near impossible to pretend that everything is "okay."

Ryuuji was certainly not at the hospital for happy reasons. He was, in fact, sitting in an empty office waiting for the doctor to arrive and deliver what he expected would be the ever clichéd "good news" and "bad news" concerning his father's condition. Drawing a pair of dice from his pocket he began tossing and rolling them idly to pass the time. His dice, usually a source of pride, were now a source of comfort and continuity. They represented the familiar in a world that was coming down around his ears.

There was a brisk knock at the door. Ryuuji looked up from his dice to see the doctor nod at him and step inside the office.

"I apologize for the wait," said the doctor as he sat down at the desk.

"No problem." Ryuuji gave a polite bob of the head in return and watched as the man across from him began shuffling through a short stack of manila folders. With the correct file now on top, he folded his hands and looked Ryuuji grimly in the eye.

"I just came from seeing your father," began the doctor in careful, measured words. "Considering his advanced age, he is lucky to be faring so well after such traumatic events. Now, I want to assure you the burns your father received from the fire were not severe." He unclasped his hands revealing his palms as if to demonstrate he had nothing to hide. "With proper treatment, they should heal quickly and without complication."

A pregnant pause followed those reassuring words as the doctor removed his glasses and began polishing the lenses. Ryuuji found himself following the doctor's movements rather than maintaining eye contact. He knew he was about to bad news now, and he had a pretty good idea what it would entail. How he would react to the information he was much less certain. Those yet unspoken words were something he simultaneously dreaded and, if he were completely honest with himself, secretly wanted to hear. Ryuuji swallowed hard. In nervous anticipation he began rolling the dice around in his hand and focused on the soft clacks they made as they bumped against each other.

The doctor settled his glasses back onto his nose and returned his gaze to the young man. "Unfortunately, son, it appears your father's mind is slipping into a kind of dementia punctuated by periods of mania and depression. At this point, we are not sure if his condition is permanent. It could be that it was triggered by the stress of last night and with time will subside." His features softened in compassion as he continued. "However, there is also the possibility that it will progressively worsen. I would like to keep him here under observation for a few more days."

Ryuuji's expression remained impassive all the while the doctor was speaking - something that did not go unnoticed. Despite the rather grim circumstances, he didn't seem to be all that heartened by the good news nor did he appear to be all that upset at the bad. This observation came a bit of surprise to the good doctor. He figured he could have been reading his grocery list and still have elicited the same reaction from the young man.

But Ryuuji wasn't truly unemotional over the situation. He just simply didn't know what to feel. The news about his father's mental state didn't come as a complete shock. The previous night's events had, however fortunately or unfortunately, prepared him for that, but his mind spun with thoughts of, "What if?"

What if his father did get better? Ryuuji wondered if things at home would be any different than from before the fire. He certainly had his misgivings. At his best, Mr. Clown could be rather charismatic, if one was able to look past his bent for vengeance. At his worst, he was abusive and a master in the art of manipulation. Ryuuji still felt the sting of being told he was a failure at his one purpose in life, exacting his father's revenge, and it was hard not to feel a little bitter.

So then, what if he didn't get better? The young man wondered if he should feel guilty even contemplating that scenario. Even with all of his obvious faults Mr. Clown was, after all, still his father. However, Ryuuji couldn't help feeling relieved at the thought that his Tousan might be tucked safely away in some mental institution. And if his father was sent away, what then?

Noticing he was under the concerned scrutiny of the doctor, Ryuuji obligingly sunk a little in his chair and knit his brow. "Sorry. It's just… a lot to take in at once. But, um, I trust your judgment, doctor. Tousan should stay here as long as you think necessary." Mollified, the doctor handed him a pamphlet detailing support group information.

"You should consider attending some of these meetings. They will help you find ways of coping."

Ryuuji glanced over the information on the glossy paper. He seriously doubted the meetings would even come close to touching on the things he actually needed to talk about. Occult games, anyone? Instead of giving voice to his opinion, he replied, "Yeah, okay. Thanks. I'll look into it."

The sound of the office door closing behind him added a sense of finality to the whole situation and it left Ryuuji with the realization of how unprepared he was for the implications of yesterday's events. In one fell swoop, everything he ever been taught to believe in was turned upside down. Everything he ever knew, the game shop, the relationship he had with his father, was now gone. Now he had to figure out how to fill that void.

The dice and what he could do with them was always his domain. He'd salvage that part of his old life and continue marketing his game. The crumbling world with its foundation of revenge, well, that belonged to his father. Ryuuji couldn't say he was very sorry to see it go and didn't plan on looking back.

Ever the realist, Ryuuji knew, way back in the recesses of his mind, that what was left of his father was already gone even before the confrontation with Yuugi, and obtaining the Sennen puzzle wouldn't have brought him back. Even if Mr. Clown did come back from the hospital, there was only a small chance that they could rebuild their relationship. They no longer shared the same goals or saw eye to eye, and that left Ryuuji feeling really quite alone. With his father out of the picture, there was no one else.

Lost in thought with hands jammed into his back pockets, Ryuuji walked to the nurse's station, avoiding eye contact with the various passersby. He wanted to go home, but there was one more thing he needed to do before left.

* * *

As far as I can tell, there isn't mention of what became of Mr. Clown after the fire so I've taken liberty of filling in the blanks. 

_Edited November 30,2007_


	2. Chapter 2

_Set after the Black Crown fire. Ryuuji struggles with how to rebuild his life until he realizes he might just have more to work with than he thought._

* * *

Part Two 

Ryuuji walked casually up to the station counter and discreetly deposited the folded support group pamphlet in a nearby wastebasket. Not that it really mattered. No one had noticed him approach. The administrative and nursing staff were too caught up in the organized chaos of hospital operation. As he stood waiting, Ryuuji lightly ran his fingers along the edge of the countertop and toyed with the idea of just leaving. Deciding against it, he cleared his throat. _Otogi Ryuuji doesn't chicken _out, he reminded himself. One of the older nurses heard him and looked up from her paperwork.

"What can I do for you, Hon?" she asked kindly.

Ryuuji instinctively smiled at her. "Hi. I'm here to visit someone."

"Patient's name?"

"Motou. Yuugi." The words felt strange as they passed over his lips. Yesterday, they would have been spiked with contempt. Today, they were colored with…concern or guilt, perhaps? Either way, Ryuuji wasn't used to it, and it was making him feel slightly out of his element.

The nurse shuffled some papers around and did a quick name search on the computer. Handing him a clipboard she said, "Here you go. I just need you to fill out this form to check in. Don't worry, it is a short one," she reassured.

"Sure thing." Ryuuji nodded and took the clipboard. The form certainly looked simple enough. Name, date, and time; that was easy; check, check, check. His hand, however, hovered over the last question.

**Relationship to patient: family or friend. Circle one. **

Brows furrowed slightly over green eyes. _Family or friend..._ Well, he obviously wasn't family. Friend didn't exactly fit the bill either, not after everything he and his father put Yuugi through. Circling that option didn't feel right. He decided to skip the question all together and passed the clipboard back into the waiting hands of the nurse. She quickly scanned the form.

"You forgot the last one."

"Excuse me?" asked Ryuuji feigning ignorance.

The nurse tipped her head to one side and studied his face. "Friend or family?"

"Oh! Guess I wasn't paying attention," he replied with a laugh. "I'm a classmate." Ryuuji tossed her a charming smile for good measure with the hope that she'd stop pressing the issue.

To his relief, the look of annoyance that threatened to cross her features quickly dissipated. She circled 'friend' for him. "Room 302, just down the hall, on your right."

"Thanks."

_How's that for irony? _Ryuuji thought dryly. _ According to Domino General, I'm buddies with the grandson of my father's sworn enemy. _ In his mind's eye, he could see his father's horrified reaction. He quickly shrugged off the vision. After all, his father's opinions were no longer of concern to him. He could associate with whomever he wanted now. Unfortunately, this bold new attitude was short lived.

Ryuuji was about to knock on Yuugi's door when the pit of his stomach went cold. For an awful moment, he realized he was at a loss for words. And really, what was anyone in this kind of situation _supposed_ to say? It wasn't as if the card companies had explored the 'sorry for causing your kidnapping, robbery, and hospitalization' niche – well, not just yet anyway.

More to the point, he wondered what Yuugi was going to say to him. Ryuuji knew what he deserved to be told and was trying psych himself up to hear it. Bruised ego and guilty conscience aside, he found he actually cared what the other boy thought of him. Yuugi was unlike anyone he had ever met before, and Ryuuji admired him for his determination and passion as much as his skill in gaming.

With a sigh, he lifted his wrist and gently rapped on the door. Whether he was ready or not, he owed Yuugi an apology. Almost instantly, disembodied "come in" floated through the wood. Ryuuji slowly turned the handle and belatedly hoped Yuugi's friends, his real friends, weren't already in there with him. Considering what he wanted to say, he wasn't feeling up to playing to a full house.

He was in luck. The room was blessedly empty save for the two patients and the privacy curtain was drawn between them. Yuugi was sitting propped up in bed reading a gaming magazine. His already large eyes widened slightly with surprise when he saw his visitor.

"Otogi!"

"Hey, Yuugi. Okay if I come in?"

The bewildered patient nodded. "Sure. Sit down." Yuugi motioned towards a chair near the head of his bed.

Courtesy, Ryuuji noted, apparently never failed the spiky-haired gamer, no matter who came knocking on his door. He sauntered over to the chair hoping he didn't look as discomfited as he felt. Sitting down, he noticed the cards and flowers from various well-wishers that littered the nightstand. It was obvious this quiet, if slightly strange, kid had quite a few people who cared for him. Ryuuji felt a quick pang of jealousy. If he were in Yuugi's place, there probably wouldn't be any cards. He never really had the opportunity to let anyone get that close to him and wondered what it would be like if he did. The concept of closeness never failed to rouse his curiosity but at the same time, remained elusive to him.

"How're you doing, Otogi?"

Yuugi's words broke the silence and pulled his mind back into focus. It was Ryuuji's turn to look surprised. He took in the spiky-haired teen who looked honestly concerned about his guest's well being. Ryuuji's lips slipped into an ironic smile and shook his head.

"Dude, you're the one who looks like and extra from _The Mummy_!" he said pointing to the bandages. "I came to see how you're doing."

Yuugi shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, I'm alright. The doctor says I should be able to go home pretty soon. And I got a note from school saying I can postpone my history exam so that's a plus."

"Takeda's class?"

"Yeah."

"That is a plus. His tests are brutal."

Yuugi rolled his eyes. "Tell me about it!"

The ease of the brief laughter that followed was unexpected and welcome. Ryuuji felt the tension in the room and the stress he was holding in his shoulders lighten. But all to soon it drifted back into a prolonged silence. There was an elephant in the room and it was demanding to be noticed.

_Now is as good of time as any_, thought Ryuuji. After all, he didn't come to Yuugi's room to chat about class. They weren't friends. They were barely acquaintances. Continuing the light conversation felt unnatural. He shifted in his chair, his look somber. Candor wasn't something he cared to display often. Ordinarily, Ryuuji would have tried to maintain some sort of front, but with Yuugi, it didn't seem to matter. There was something about him that made Ryuuji think he'd see right through it.

"Look, Yuugi. I want to apologize for everything." He slouched forward, elbows on knees, hands briefly clasped at the back of his neck before he looked back up at his classmate. "I'm not sure where to begin to explain. Things got way out of hand. I mean, none of this should have happened." He straightened up completely and his eyes fell on the puzzle hanging from Yuugi's neck. To his credit, the other teen didn't try to hide it from view. Ryuuji changed focus and cast his gaze somewhere at the foot of the bed anyway. He wasn't sure why he did that except maybe it was to reassure Yuugi he didn't want the puzzle any longer. "My dad and I, you see…I had always thought…."

"You don't need to explain, Otogi," interrupted Yuugi.

"What?" Ryuuji asked, looking up.

"Well, I kinda got the gist of things in your game shop." Ryuuji opened his mouth to say something, but Yuugi stopped him. "I know you're not really a bad person." He looked a little embarrassed and shrugged. "I, uh, heard what your dad said, you did try to stop him…and you're here now. So, it's okay. I forgive you."

Ryuuji sat dumbstruck. This was definitely not what he had been expecting. Those words spilled from Yuugi's mouth so easily and sincerely. Caught off guard, he wasn't exactly sure how to respond so he just gave a nod. What he really wanted to do was ask why on earth Yuugi would want to forgive him. It didn't make much sense. Yuugi had more right than anyone to hate him.

If he were a different kind of person, maybe he would have asked. Maybe he and Yuugi would have delved into some deep and enlightening conversation on the nature of friendship and forgiveness. But Ryuuji wasn't that kind of person. He didn't ask. Asking would invariably lead to sharing personal information. It would mean getting close to someone else, allowing someone else to get close to him. He wasn't sure if he was quite ready to take that step even though it was something he wanted. That would still take some time.

"So how are you, Otogi?" asked Yuugi, breaking the silence. "You never said."

"Oh well, it looks like insurance will cover the fire damage. The store will probably be rebuilt but somewhere… a little further from yours. And Tousan is healthy enough," said Ryuuji trying to keep his tone casual. "He got out of the fire in time."

Yuugi cocked his head to the side and frowned slightly. "Oh…that's not…er…"

Ryuuji knew what Yuugi had meant and appreciated it, but he ignored the look and dug into his pocket, pulling out a packet of cards. "Here. I almost forgot; I brought these for you," he said tossing them to Yuugi.

"Duel Monster cards?" The King of Games turned the packet over in his hands, his expression one of pleasure and confusion.

With a small smirk and a lazy shrug his dice-loving visitor replied, "Yeah, I figured you'd had enough of DDD."

"You know, it is a pretty good game," said Yuugi. "DDD, I mean. I'd play it again…only under different circumstances." He gave a wry smile.

"I'm sure I could arrange something." Ryuuji gave a short laugh and stood to leave.

Yuugi held up the cards. "Thanks, and thanks for coming by." His face turned hopeful. "So…maybe I'll see you around?"

The question gave Ryuuji pause. Yuugi _wanted_ him to come back? That possibility hadn't occurred to him. Ryuuji's thoughts turned thoughtful to hesitant and then back again. He supposed he could swing by one more time. After all, what could it hurt? At the very least it would give him another opportunity to better understand the King of Games.

"Yeah, probably," he replied. Ryuuji managed a real smile. "I'll be hanging around the hospital for the next few days. Maybe I'll see you then. Feel better Yuugi."

* * *

_fin_


End file.
